Prenatal Bisphenol a Exposure and Postnatal Trans Fat Diet Alter Small Intestinal Morphology and Its Global DNA Methylation in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats, Leading to Obesity Development

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to determine whether a postnatal trans fat diet (TFD) could aggravate prenatal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure effects on offspring’s small intestine and adulthood obesity, due to the relatively sparse findings on how the interaction between these two variables interrupt the small intestinal cells. Twelve pregnant rats were administered with either unspiked drinking water (control; CTL) or BPA-spiked drinking water throughout pregnancy. Twelve weaned pups from each pregnancy group were then given either a normal diet (ND) or TFD from postnatal week (PNW) 3 until PNW14, divided into control offspring on normal diet (CTL-ND), BPA-exposed offspring on normal diet (BPA-ND), control offspring on trans fat diet (CTL-TFD), and BPA offspring on trans fat diet (BPA-TFD) groups. Body weight (BW), waist circumference, and food and water intake were measured weekly in offspring. At PNW14, small intestines were collected for global DNA methylation and histological analyses. Marked differences in BW were observed starting at PNW9 in BPA-TFD (389.5 ± 10.0 g; p < 0.05) relative to CTL-ND (339.0 ± 7.2 g), which persisted until PNW13 (505.0 ± 15.6 g). In contrast, water and food intake between offspring were significantly different (p < 0.01–0.05) at earlier ages only (PNW4–6 and PNW7–9, respectively). Furthermore, substantial differences in the general parameters of the intestinal structures were exclusive to ileum crypt length alone, whereby both BPA-ND (150.5 ± 5.1 μm; p < 0.001), and BPA-TFD (130.3 ± 9.9 μm; p < 0.05) were significantly longer than CTL-ND (96.8 ± 8.9 μm). Moreover, BPA-ND (2.898 ± 0.147%; p < 0.05) demonstrated global small intestinal hypermethylation when compared to CTL-ND and CTL-TFD (1.973 ± 0.232% and 1.913 ± 0.256%, respectively). Prenatal BPA exposure may significantly affect offspring’s physiological parameters and intestinal function. Additionally, our data suggest that there might be compensatory responses to postnatal TFD in the combined BPA prenatal group (BPA-TFD).

Distinct gut flora profile induced by postnatal trans-fat diet in gestationally bisphenol A-exposed rats

“…This could also explain the diminished downstream pathways of FA/lipid and nucleotide/nucleoside biosynthesis in the TFD groups compared to the ND groups ( Fig 8 ). Unfortunately, the decrease in the nucleotide/nucleoside biosynthesis pathway in TFD offspring relative to ND offspring in the present study was not evident in their small intestinal global DNA methylation as reported in our previous study [ 79 ]. It is possible that dysregulated nucleotide/nucleoside biosynthesis occurred elsewhere, such as in the liver, where de novo purine nucleotide synthesis takes place.…”

Combined Effect of Prenatal Mosquito Coil Smoke Exposure and Early Postnatal Nutritional Status on Obesity among Preschoolers

“…For example, Wang et al [50] reported that elevated prenatal mercury exposure was associated with a higher risk of childhood obesity, and such risk was reduced by adequate folate ingestion. Zulkifli et al [51] found that prenatal bisphenol A exposure significantly affected a rat's offspring's physiological parameters and intestinal function, and that there might be compensatory responses to postnatal trans-fat diets in the combined bisphenol A group. Another animal trial conducted using a swine model indicated that the propensity for obesity of pig fetuses exposed to prenatal malnutrition might be moderated by controlled food intake [52].…”